FLUSHING, N.Y. – The Queens College men's soccer team concluded the regular season with an overall record of 11-4-2 and an undefeated mark in East Coast Conference play to the record of 7-0-1 en route to winning the first-ever ECC Regular Season Championship in program history and clinching the #1 seed to the Postseason Tournament.
In the ECC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll, Vertullo and his squad were tabbed to finish first as they earned four first-place votes for a total of 72 points. The Knights have met those expectations and now are looking to complete a title defense as their postseason journey gets underway on Sunday, Nov. 10.
Queens College Postseason History
Last year head coach
Frank Vertullo and the Knights won their first ever ECC Men's Soccer Championship in program history and they would do so as the #3 seed in the tournament. They began the tournament earning by defeating the #6 seed Staten Island 2-1 at home in the First Round before a tremendous rally for a 4-3 road victory over the #2 seed Mercy in the semis. They would earn a 1-0 victory over the #4 seed District of Columbia in Flushing to lift their first crown.
The 2024 season has been another one for the record book as Vertullo and the Knights have earned their first-ever #1 seed and Regular Season title. Under Vertullo's guidance, Queens is making its fourth appearance in the ECC postseason tournament and their third straight.
Queens College Preview (2024 Record: 11-4-2 Overall, 7-0-1 ECC)
- The Knights enter postseason play with an overall record of 11-4-2 and their first-ever Regular Season Championship as they enter the semifinal unbeaten in their last 12 games to the record of 10-0-2.
- As a team, the Knights have recorded 40 goals registering 262 shots with 137 shots on goals.
- On Wednesday, Nov. 6 the ECC announced the 2024 All-ECC teams, and a program record seven Knights were honored.
- While out of the five major awards, the men's soccer program recorded two Major awards led by redshirt freshman goalie Thanasis Shehadeh (Nicosia, Cyprus) being named Goalkeeper of the Year and seventh-year head coach Frank Vertullo being named Coach of the Year by his peers.
- Four Knights in junior forward Harry Cooke (Market Drayton, England), junior midfielder Kevin Johnson (Oakdale, N.Y.), senior defender Joaquim Johnson (Brooklyn, N.Y.), and redshirt freshman goalie Thanasis Shehadeh (Nicosia, Cyprus) were awarded All-ECC First Team honors.
- The trio of sophomore forward Miguel Soto Gonzalez (Madrid, Spain), freshman midfielder Bastian Engeli (Bergen, Norway), and redshirt junior defender Eyob Gaffigan (Walkersville, MD) were all awarded All-ECC Second Team honors.
- Cooke leads the team with a team-high and program record of 51 points having tallied 22 goals and seven assists on the year.
- On Monday, Oct. 28 Cooke earned his third Honor Roll spot of the year.
- On Monday, Nov. 4 Cooke earned third ECC Offensive Player of the Week honors as he led the way with 11 points with five goals and one assist.
- Sophomore forward Miguel Soto Gonzalez (Madrid, Spain) has recorded 21 points with eight goals to go with five assists.
- On Monday, Oct. 14 Soto Gonzalez earned his third ECC weekly honor as he was named to the Honor Roll sheet.
- Graduate student forward Carlos Almeida (Sao Paulo, Brazil) has recorded a team-high seven assists and two goals for 11 points on the year.
- On Monday, Oct. 28 Almeida was awarded his second Honor Roll spot this year.
- Junior Kevin Johnson (Oakdale, N.Y.), redshirt junior Eyob Gaffigan (Walkersville, MD), freshman Bastian Engeli (Bergen, Norway), sophomore Andrew Johnson (Oakdale, N.Y.), senior Joaquim Johnson (Brooklyn, N.Y.), sophomore Jason Udo (Bronx, N.Y.), rookie Kleverson Bolanos (Kew Gardens, N.Y.), sophomore Tommy Gunn (Buenos Aires, Argentina), and sophomore Fortune Uzo (Valley Stream, N.Y.), graduate student John Morell (New Britain, CT) have combined for 14 goals and three game-winning goals.
- In goal, junior Noris Iten (Sachseln, Switzerland) and sophomore Thanasis Shehadeh (Nicosia, Cyprus) have combined for 54 saves, eight shutouts, and one combined shutout, and hold a goals against average of 1.06
- On Monday, Oct. 29 Shehadeh was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week for the third straight week, a Rookie of the Week honors for his fourth spot on the Weekly Report Sheet.
East Coast Conference Men's Soccer Tournament
Having earned the #1 seed the Knights begin their title defense as they welcome the #5 seed Lions of Molloy University to Flushing on Sunday, Nov. 10 in the second Semifinals game.
On the other side of the bracket, the #2 seed Mavericks of Mercy University will host the #6 seed Firebirds of the University of the District of Columbia in Dobbs Ferry on Sunday afternoon.
Molloy University Preview
- Overall Wins-Losses-Ties History: 11-6-1
- Last Win: 3-1 (11/2/4)
- Last Loss: 1-2 (10/1/22)
- Last Tie: 1-1 (9/2/13)
- The Lions enter the week with an overall record of 7-7-4 and are coming off an upset victory over #4 seed D'Youville to the final score of 2-0 in Buffalo on Thursday, Nov. 7.
- Sunday's meeting will be the 19th overall against Molloy with the Knights leading the All-Time series to a record of 11-6-1.
- During their regular season meeting on Nov. 2., Queens earned a home victory over Molloy in Flushing to the final score of 3-1. it would be the first home victory over the Lions since the 2016 season when the Knights earned a 4-2 victory on October 30, 2016.
If the Knights win on Sunday
With a victory over the Lions Sunday, the Knights will host the ECC Championship game for the second straight season as they welcome the winner of the #2 seed Mercy vs. #6 UDC to town on Sunday, Nov. 17.
For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook (Queens College Athletics), X (Formerly Twitter) (@QCKnights), and Instagram (qcknightsny), men's soccer (qcmsoccer).
